Mundelein police upping patrols along Route 45

Rash of accidents prompts action

October 07, 2013|By Kristy MacKaben, Special to the Tribune

A radar recently set up outside the Mundelein Police Department warns drivers of their speed as they head down Route 45. A recent string of accidents has led police to beef up patrols along the road. (Dan Waters, Chicago Tribune)

A recent rash of serious accidents has caused Mundelein police to beef up patrols along Route 45.

Within two months, one pedestrian was killed and two others were seriously injured after being hit by vehicles on the busy road. In the three accidents, there were errors by the pedestrians and the drivers, said Mundelein Police Chief Eric Guenther.

"I'm not placing blame anywhere," Guenther said of the unprecedented accidents in a two-month time frame. "These are three significant accidents in a short period of time all in the same roadway. They all involved a pedestrian in some form or fashion."

"Mayor Steve Lentz said, "There needs to be more police attention and public awareness."

The accidents prompted Guenther to increase enforcement patrols along Route 45. Police will be looking for drivers who are using handheld cell phones or speeding, as well as pedestrians who are not using crosswalks. Electronic signs are recording drivers' speeds and officers will also be patrolling on foot.

Despite the increase in accidents, no structural changes are planned for the road. The 30 m.p.h. speed limit is low for a four-lane highway, said Guenther. And, there are plenty of crosswalks and sidewalks along the road.

"I don't think there's anything wrong with the construction of the road. It's really just a situation where people need to be aware of their surroundings," Guenther said. "Pedestrians need to be aware of vehicular traffic and do things in a safe manner and drivers need to be aware of what the laws are and abide by the laws."

The three accidents, which occurred in July, August and September, are under investigation and no one has been charged in any of them.

In the first accident on July 18, a 16-year-old Grayslake boy riding a skateboard in the middle of the road at 11:30 p.m. was struck by a car and killed.

A month later, on the morning of Aug. 19, a 23-year-old Mundelein woman was hit and dragged 1,000 feet by a pickup truck until the driver was stopped by another car. The woman was walking near the exit to ABC Supply Company when she was hit by the truck and suffered serious injuries.

The most recent accident occurred on the night of Sept. 20 when a 51-year-old Vernon Hills man was struck by a car while trying to cross the road with his wife. They were not in a crosswalk. The man is in a medical-induced coma while his wife was uninjured.

"It's so important for drivers to pay attention, but it's also important for pedestrians to pay attention," said Guenther.